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Doyle And Marriage Question Winners

WISCREPORT.COM - Democrats, the Marriage Protection Amendment, Governor Jim Doyle, and Republican J.B. Van Hollen, were some of the big winners in the Wisconsin edition of the 2006 November General Election. Even though 40 percent of state-wide voters did not approve of the way the Marriage question was worded, 60 percent did.

Opponents of the Marriage Protection ammendment feel the question that was put to voters was a multi-pronged approach that could complicate life as everyone in the state has known it up until now. They say this referendum question is one that confuses people into believing that it's just about whether Marriage is about one man and one woman, when the question is really about much more than that.

Wisconsin Attorney General Peggy Lautenschlager indicates that the language of the referendum question will affect one-man and one-woman couples who are not married, as well as who can legally marry in Wisconsin.

"A YES vote would make the existing restriction on marriage as a union between a man and a woman part of the state constitution, and would prohibit any recognition of the validity of a marriage between persons other than one man and one woman", Attorney General Lautenschlager says.

She goes on to explain what additional definitions passage would create.

"A YES vote would also prohibit recognition of any legal status which is identical or substantially similar to marriage for unmarried persons of either the same sex or DIFFERENT SEXES", the Wisconsin Attorney General says.

"The constitution would not further specify what is, or what is not, a legal status identical or substantially similar to marriage. Whether any particular type of domestic relationship, partnership or agreement between unmarried persons would be prohibited by this ammendment would be left to further legislative or judicial determination", according to the legal opinion.

In other important balloting, Governor Jim Doyle (D) was given 53 percent approval by voters who found it agreeable to have him serve for another term. In a very close race, another Democrat, Dawn Sass, was elected State Treasurer, over Republican Jack Voight, incumbent.

Republican J.B. Van Hollen nearly lost his Attorney General win to Democrat Kathleen Falk, who had won the Democratic primary over incumbent Peg Lautenschlager. When the dust cleared, Van Hollen had less than a 1-percent edge over Falk, who had experience in the Attorney General's office when Gov. Jim Doyle was Attorney General.

In other stimulating races, Democrat Steve Kagen, MD, can now add another title to his name, having defeated Republican John Gard to become the eigth district congressional representative from Wisconsin. The eigth district seat in the House of Representatives was held by Mark Green who had resigned to challenge, and subsequently, lose to, Governor Jim Doyle.